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5 Travel Apps to Ease Your Mind

These five free travel apps make traveling less stressful, whether it’s the holiday season or not. Each is available on iOS and Android.

CDC’s Travwell

If you travel across borders more than state lines, CDC’s Travwell app will ensure you plan a safe and healthy international trip no matter your destination. The app provides destination-specific vaccine recommendations and a checklist for what to pack—think of it as your personal healthy packing list. You can store travel documents, immunization records and prescription information as well as get reminders when you need to take your medications.

Companion

You’ll never feel alone again with the Companion app. Simply plug in your destination, add family and friends from your contact list and voila, they can track your journey in real time via GPS on an online map. And if you’re feeling nervous, the app has a feature that lets you alert the police at the push of a button.

Grab: Order Airport Food

Skip the long, daunting lines at airport restaurants and go straight to picking up your food using Grab, the go-to app to get your next meal while waiting to board. Pick a restaurant, order your food and walk right up to the counter to grab your meal. The app is available at 19 U.S. airports, including Atlanta and Los Angeles and is now available internationally at London’s Heathrow Airport.

Google Translate

Improved since 2016, the Google Translate app is making translating foreign words easier. By pointing your camera at the words, the app will populate the meaning of the words in 30 languages, including text on street signs and menus. And if you’re without an internet connection, you can still use the app to say “hello” and “goodbye” in 52 languages.

Hilton Honors: Digital Key

At a tap of a button, Digital Key lets you check into your hotel room. Available at several Hilton hotels, Digital Key is a new feature on the Hilton Honors app that lets you skip the check-in line and go straight to your room, with no need for a hotel key.